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To stream a prerecorded video as a YouTube Live event with OBS, create or schedule a stream in YouTube Studio, copy its stream URL and key from Live Control Room, enter those in OBS, then start the encoder. For a scheduled event, starting OBS only sends the feed: wait for YouTube’s preview and click Go live in Live Control Room when you are ready to publish.
Choose an OBS live stream or a YouTube Premiere
“Prerecorded stream” can mean either an encoder sending a finished video as a live feed, or an uploaded video shown to viewers together. Choose based on whether the event needs OBS scenes and live-stream controls.
| Option | Best for | How it works | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS encoder feed to YouTube Live | A live-event presentation, including OBS scenes or overlays, or a scheduled Live Control Room event. | OBS sends the video feed to YouTube using the stream URL and key. | A scheduled stream needs a preview and a separate Go live action in Live Control Room. |
| YouTube Premiere | Watching a finished upload together without transmitting it through OBS. | Upload the video and choose an instant or scheduled Premiere. | It is an uploaded-video feature, not an encoder connection. YouTube’s Premiere instructions exclude Shorts and say output above 1080p is unsupported. YouTube’s Premiere guide explains the feature. |
A Premiere gives viewers a shared watch page with reminders, chat and comments. If you need OBS to provide the live feed, use the encoder workflow below instead. YouTube Help: Create a Premiere.
Create or schedule the YouTube Live event
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live.
- For a first encoder stream, use the Stream tab and create the stream. To promote an event in advance, schedule it from the Manage tab; scheduling creates a shareable page where viewers can set reminders.
- Open the event in Live Control Room and locate its stream URL and stream key. The URL is the destination OBS sends the feed to; the key authorizes YouTube to accept it. YouTube says, “Stream keys are like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
Treat the key like a password: do not show it in a screenshot or publish it. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace the value in OBS. YouTube says only channel owners or managers can reset a stream key.
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Connect OBS to YouTube
- Open OBS and find its streaming settings. Choose YouTube as the service if that preset is available, then provide the stream key. OBS labels can vary by version.
- If you need to enter connection details manually, paste the YouTube stream URL into OBS’s server field and the key into its stream key field. Use the RTMPS URL when your encoder supports it; YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL encryption. The RTMPS value may need to be revealed in Live Control Room. YouTube Help: Encrypt your stream using RTMPS.
- Set up the prerecorded video and its audio in OBS using the source workflow available in your OBS version, then start streaming. Confirm that YouTube receives the feed and shows a preview before publishing a scheduled event.
- For a scheduled event, click Go live in Live Control Room once the preview is ready. Starting OBS by itself does not publish that scheduled event.
The precise OBS menu path for loading an ordinary prerecorded file can vary by version; the connection itself requires the YouTube server URL and key. Check the resulting preview and confirm both picture and audio before going live.
Set video, audio and connection quality
Use YouTube’s current encoder settings table for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send rather than copying a bitrate from an unrelated setup. The table provides guidance by resolution and frame rate. YouTube lists RTMP/RTMPS transport; H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); frame rates up to 60 fps; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrate guidance.
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- Bitrate: Run an upload-speed test and choose a video bitrate your connection can sustain reliably. Account for other internet use during the stream; a theoretical connection maximum is not a safe target.
- Keyframes: Set the interval to two seconds where your encoder exposes the option; do not exceed YouTube’s four-second ceiling.
- Codec and audio: Use a listed video and audio format supported by your encoder. Check the Live Control Room preview for audio as well as picture.
- Resolution and frame rate: Select the appropriate row in YouTube’s current guidance for your actual output. Higher settings require sufficient upload capacity.
Test and run the event
YouTube recommends preparing the encoder at least two hours before the stream and starting it at least 15 minutes before the scheduled event. These are preparation recommendations, not technical minimums. YouTube encoder settings and YouTube streaming tips.
- Test before the event with representative video and audio, including movement and sound similar to the actual program.
- Check the Live Control Room preview, make sure the audio is present and the picture looks right, then review stream health.
- During the event, monitor the preview and stream health rather than assuming a successful OBS connection guarantees a healthy YouTube feed.
- When finishing, end the event in YouTube as directed by the current Live Control Room workflow, then stop sending the feed from OBS.
YouTube says encoder streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. This does not mean a longer stream is guaranteed to be archived. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
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Troubleshoot connection and playback problems
- YouTube shows no incoming feed: Check that OBS is using the URL for the correct event and that the matching stream key is entered. If the key was reset, update OBS with the replacement.
- Feed arrives but scheduled event is not public: OBS is sending the encoder feed, but you may not have published the scheduled event. Wait for YouTube’s preview, then select Go live in Live Control Room.
- Preview stutters or stream health is poor: Test upload capacity, reduce the output bitrate to a sustainable level, and consult YouTube’s settings for your chosen resolution and frame rate.
- Picture works but sound is missing or wrong: Check the audio source and encoder format, then test again and verify sound in the Live Control Room preview before publishing.
- Connection is not encrypted: If OBS supports RTMPS, use the RTMPS URL shown in Live Control Room rather than assuming the default RTMP address is encrypted.
- OBS streams but the intended video does not appear: Check the prerecorded-video source and its playback state in OBS; then verify the actual output in YouTube’s preview before going live.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a prerecorded YouTube stream to continue without leaving OBS and a computer running at home, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It keeps the stream running from the cloud, can recover automatically if YouTube drops it, and streams uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot. The first day is free with no card. Monthly access is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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